Poland

Human Rights Watch — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 10:00:00 -0800

Government expressions of homophobia remain a problem. In March, in a nationally televised speech, President Lech Kaczynski threatened to block ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, claiming that the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union would force Poland to legally recognize same-sex relationships.

UN: Mixed Results for New Review Process

Human Rights Watch — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 17:00:00 -0700

(Geneva) – The first session of the new country review mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council was undermined by inconsistencies and the timidity of some governments in reviewing others, Human Rights Watch said today. On April 18, 2008 the council concluded a two-week session in which it examined the records of 16 countries as part of the new Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process.

Human Rights Council Begins Universal Periodic Review

Human Rights Watch — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 17:00:00 -0700

(Geneva, April 6, 2008) – The UN Human Rights Council will begin a new review process on April 7, 2008. The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is the most innovative and ambitious instrument of the council and was set up to assess the human rights performance of all 192 UN member states over a four-year cycle.

Council of Europe Confirms Secret CIA Prisons

Human Rights Watch — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 09:39:29 -0700

On June 8, the Council of Europe released a report confirming allegations first made by Human Rights Watch in 2005 that the CIA used locations in Poland and Romania for the secret detention of terror suspects. During several years of research, we combed through flight records and other documents, and assembled accounts from former detainees to expose the existence of the secret program.

Council of Europe: Secret CIA Prisons Confirmed

Human Rights Watch — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 17:00:00 -0700

The Central Intelligence Agency secretly operated illegal prisons for terrorism suspects in multiple locations in Poland and Romania from 2003 to 2005, according to a report released today by the Council of Europe, a European intergovernmental human rights body.

Hands Off Human Rights Petition

Human Rights Watch — Sat, 19 May 2007 08:22:42 -0700

This petition is no longer active

In recent months and years, Polish leaders have threatened criminal sanctions against lesbian and gay activists and organizations, have tried to restrict freedoms of expression and association, and have even threatened violence against LGBT marchers.

Letter to Polish Prime Minister about Censorship in Schools

Human Rights Watch — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 17:00:00 -0700

On behalf of Human Rights Watch, I write to you concerning proposed legislation that, if passed, would prevent free speech and access to information by and about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in schools and other institutions of learning in Poland—as well as legally sanctioning discrimination against them.

Poland: School Censorship Proposal Threatens Basic Rights

Human Rights Watch — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 17:00:00 -0700

The Polish government’s proposed legislation to censor all discussion of homosexuality in schools and other academic institutions would violate freedom of speech and impede free access to information, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski.

European Parliament: Condemn Complicity in Illegal CIA Activity

Human Rights Watch — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 16:00:00 -0800

The European Parliament should condemn European complicity in the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) program of “extraordinary renditions” and secret detention of prisoners, Human Rights Watch said today.

CIA Abuses: EU Report Condemns European Complicity

Human Rights Watch — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 16:00:00 -0800

A new report by the European Parliament’s Temporary Committee on illegal CIA activity in Europe is a powerful indictment of European governments’ complicity in CIA abuses, Human Rights Watch said today.